Rotatable edge-indicating chance device



June 966 M. L. DREIBLATT 3,256,022

ROTA'IABLE EDGE-INDICATING CHANCE DEVICE Filed Sept. 8, 1964 INVENTOR. MILTON L. DREIBLATT ATTO EY United States Patent Office 3,256,022 Patented June 14, 1966 This invention relates generally to games.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved game wherein a plurality of rotatable members may be aligned in a predetermined position was to accomplish a successful consummation of the game.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such -a game, an improved rotatable member of simplified and extremely. economical design.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotatable member of the character decribed which is adapted to supporting a variety of scoring indicia.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotatable member of the character described which may be spun manually or by the impact of an impelling means,

such as a paddle, without risk of damage thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the followingv discussion as read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a three-dimensional view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view depicting one form of rotatable member employed in the invention and disposed in operative position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2 gm depicting a modified form of such rotatable mem- FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the generally spherical member employed in the rotatable member depicted in FIGURE 3.

Throughout the various views, similar numerals are employed to indicate similar parts of the embodiments of the invention.

The present invention is intended as a novel and attractive rotatable means for indicating the score or success of each player participating therein. Thus, as may be seen in FIGURE 1 of the drawing, one embodiment of the invention comprises a container, generally designated by the numeral 10 and having a base 11 of a rectangular configuration provided with opposing side and end walls 12, 13.

In this form of the invention, three parallel yokes 14 depend from two of the opposing walls 12, each of the yokes 14 being formed with a series of three U-shaped loops 15. In FIGURE 1, one of the rotatable members is shown in a fragmentary view thereof so as to permit a view of one of such U-shaped loops 15. e

The loops 15 are aligned to form three rows and columns thereof and support rotatable members 16 whose construction will be more fully understood from the following discussion.

Thus, an enlarged view of one of the rotatable members 16 depicted in FIGURE 1 is shown in operative position in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. This form of rotatable member 16 includes a planar body 18 having a centrally located, polygonal aperture, such as the triangular aperture 19, said aperture being defined by side element 20, which terminate in three semicircular fins 21.

A circular vane 22 is affixed, as by a suitable adhesive, to each of the fins 21, said vane 22 being disposed at right angles to such fin 21.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that the vanes 22 may be marked by any suitable color, number or other indicia and that the rotatable members 16 on which they are mounted may be spun by hand or any suitable impelling means on the loops 15. Hence, a variety of games is thereby available wherein the vanes may be aligned in rows, columns or diagonally, according to any predetermined order. For example, on each of the rotatable members 16, 'one of the vanes 22 may be colored .red, another yellow and a third, black, thereby permitting the vanes to be spun until three similarly colored vanes are disposed in a row, column or diagonal alignment, at which time the game would be deemed to have been won.

Thus, the game could be played by two players who would be assigned different colors and who would thereupon take turns at spinning one of the rotatable members 16 in the hope of having a rotatable member come to rest with their pre-assigned color on the vane at the upper-most position on the rotatable member. If the player is successful in this, he may then process to attempt a similar disposition of a rotatable member located elsewhere in the game and if again successful, may make a third such attemptall with the hope of achieving an alignment of three vanes of the same color. However, if any of these attempts should meet with failure, then the opposing player would be afforded a similaropportunity to accomplish such alignment; and the player first achieving same, would be deemed the winner.

If desired, the vanes could be marked with suitable numbers, the total of which on aligned vanes would be deemed the score of the player accomplishing their alignment.

In the above-described rotatable'members, it is important that they be of lightweight construction to facilitate manual operation thereof; and such end is reached by means of the indicated planar construction of each body 16 and vane 22. Such rotatable members may be composed of any thin, light, rigid material such as cardboard, plastic or the like.

A modified form of rotatable member which may be employed in the invention is depicted in FIGURE 3 of the drawing. As seen in this figure, the rotatable member comprisesa planar body 23 having, as in the case of the previously described rotatable member, a triangular aperture 19. This aperture is defined by side elements 24 preferably arranged in a triangular conformation.

The region 25 in the vicinity of each apex of such triangular conformation is surmounted by a generally spherical member 26 which is preferably composed of a light-weight material such as a sheet-like plastic, for example. The base of such spherical member 26 is depicted in FIGURE 4, where it will be seen that a slot 28 is provided therein. This slot 28 accommodates the above-noted apical region 25, the sides of the slot 28, being frictionally engaged with the planar body 23.

It will be seen that the generally spherical member 26 may be colored or numbered, as desired, and may be. spun manually or, as indicated in FIGURE 3, may be impelled by a suitable paddle 29 manipulated by a player, the procedure for playing the game with this last-described form of rotatable member being the same as that previously mentioned.

From the foregoing discussion, it is plain that the invention employs rotatable members which are easily balanced in a position wherein they indicate the score or degree of success of any player and, at the same time, consists of a construction which is of extreme simplicity and economy.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated and described hereinabove has been selected for the purpose of clearly setting forth the principles involved. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention is susceptible to be modified in respect to details of construction,

combination and arrangement of parts which may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising, in combination:

(a) a container including a base and opposing walls depending from the base;

(b) at least one yoke depending from said walls;

(c) said yoke including a plurality of U-shaped loops;

(d) each of said loops being received through a polygonal aperture provided in a planar member;

'(e) the sides of said planar member terminating in end portions in the vicinity 'of the corners of said polygonal aperture;

(f) said end portions being provided with scoring indicia;

(g) said planar member being rotatable on saidloop;

(h) at least one of said scoring indicia being disposed in the uppermost position of said planar member when the latter assumes a stationary disposition.

2. An amusement device comprising, in combination:

(a) a container including a base and opposing walls depending from the base;

(b) a plurality of horizontal yokes depending from said walls;

(0) one of said yokes including a plurality of vertical a U-shaped loops; (d) each of said loops being received through a triangular aperture provided in a planar member; (e) the sides of said planar member terminating in end portions in the vicinity of the corners of said triangular aperture;

(f) said end portions being provided with scoring indicia;

(g) said planar member being rotatable on said loop; (11) one of said scoring indicia being disposed in the uppermost position or said planar member when th latter assumes a stationary disposition.

3. A device according to claim 2:

(a) each of said end portions being of a generally semicircular conformation;

(b) said scoring indicia including a circular vane affixed to each of said end portions and disposed at right angles thereto.

4. A device according to claim 2:

(a) said scoring indicia including a generally spherical member surmounting each of said end portions; (b) each of said end portions being frictionally engaged with a slot provided in said generally spherical memben.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1950 Kellinger et al. 273127 2/1953 Smalley 273l30 

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A CONTAINER INCLUDING A BASE AND OPPOSING WALLS DEPENDING FROM THE BASE; (B) AT LEAST ONE YOKE DEPENDING FROM SAID WALLS; (C) SAID YOKE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF U-SHAPED LOOPS; (D) EACH OF SAID LOOPS BEING RECEIVED THROUGH A POLYGONAL APERTURE PROVIDED IN A PLANAR MEMBER; (E) THE SIDES OF SAID PLANAR MEMBER TERMINATING IN END PORTIONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE CORNERS OF SAID POLYGONAL APERTURE; 